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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
468
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: wave · charge · can · leaves · row · rash · race · squash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. race — a contest
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rash — a series
  12. charge — electricity
  13. race — the arms race
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — a price
  16. row — a line
  17. charge — in control
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. race — humankind
  21. row — to paddle
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. can — to be able to

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