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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: stick · wake · current · squash · bowl · nail · cue · mark

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. current — of water
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. current — happening now
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cue — for pool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — electric
  20. mark — a trace
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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