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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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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: cap · pound · club · sharp · wave · trunk · mark · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cap — a hat
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pound — a weight
  14. club — for golf
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. club — a group
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mark — a trace
  24. club — for dancing

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