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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · row · pass · wave · mark · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. row — a line
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mark — a grade
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mark — a trace

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