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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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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 · wave · mark · face · nail · track · firm · rash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — decided
  4. track — a path
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. firm — steady
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. firm — a company
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. squash — the sport
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — a song
  21. mark — a grade
  22. track — to keep track
  23. face — to confront
  24. wave — of the sea

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