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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 120 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: mark · foot · row · cue · mate · squash · file · rash

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cue — a hint
  5. row — a line
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cue — for pool
  11. file — a document
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mate — a friend
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. file — a tool
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mate — a partner
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mark — a grade

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