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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.

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: firm · lash · wake · track · squash · mouse · wave · perch

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. squash — the sport
  7. track — a song
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — a path
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. track — to keep track
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. firm — a company
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wake — a trail

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