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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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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: rest · squash · mark · present · wave · file · calf · ruler

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mark — a grade
  3. file — a tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — a gift
  13. rest — a break
  14. squash — the sport
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. file — a document
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. file — a line of people
  24. mark — to pay attention

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