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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.

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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: march · track · mouse · firm · rash · key · staff · squash

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. staff — employees
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — a company
  14. track — to keep track
  15. rash — a series
  16. squash — to crush
  17. firm — decided
  18. march — the month
  19. key — for a lock
  20. squash — the sport
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. key — in music
  24. staff — employees

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