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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · sharp · row · tube · club · date · squash · temple

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. row — a line
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. club — for golf
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. club — a group
  11. date — the fruit
  12. squash — to crush
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. club — for dancing
  19. squash — the sport
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. temple — a place of worship

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