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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.

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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 · fork · firm · charge · mouse · rash · squash · row

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. row — to paddle
  7. charge — in control
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. firm — a company
  11. fork — in a road
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mark — a grade
  18. row — a line
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mark — a trace
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. fork — a garden tool

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