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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: ball · bear · mark · suit · straw · squash · track · board

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. board — to get on
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ball — a dance
  11. track — a song
  12. board — a committee
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. track — to keep track
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. track — a path
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. squash — to crush

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