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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.

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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: board · track · object · cabinet · mark · squash · perch · wake

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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 sport
  2. object — to protest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. track — to keep track
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mark — a grade
  7. board — a committee
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — a song
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. track — a path
  17. squash — to crush
  18. perch — the fish
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. perch — for a bird
  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