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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: mark · rash · wave · toast · calf · track · last · squash

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. last — final
  8. toast — bread
  9. squash — to crush
  10. last — finally
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. last — to go on
  21. track — a song
  22. squash — the sport
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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