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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: wave · squash · present · staff · mouse · mate · drill · bay

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. drill — army training
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mate — to breed
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mate — a partner
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. present — a gift
  18. mate — a friend
  19. present — there
  20. squash — the sport
  21. present — the time now
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. staff — a stick

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