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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 120 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: object · ball · rush · wake · sharp · leaves · squash · drill

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. sharp — clever
  3. object — to protest
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. drill — a practice
  12. squash — the sport
  13. object — a thing
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. drill — army training
  16. object — an aim
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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