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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
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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: march · wave · kick · squash · craft · face · jam · mark

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. march — music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. squash — the sport
  14. face — part of the head
  15. kick — in football
  16. craft — boats
  17. mark — a grade
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mark — a trace
  20. face — to confront
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. march — the month
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. march — the month

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