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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: mouse · mark · nail · squash · bound · wake · shower · board

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. board — to get on
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. mark — a grade
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bound — tied together
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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