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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · squash · lean · racket · toast · wake · jam · foot

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. lean — thin
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. last — finally
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. last — to go on
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. last — final
  21. foot — a measure
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com