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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: squash · net · bay · wake · mark · trunk · date · fall

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fall — to drop
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. date — the fruit
  8. net — for catching
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — a trail
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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