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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: wave · cue · rash · row · fork · mug · firm · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. firm — a company
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cue — a signal
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mug — a face
  14. row — a line
  15. row — to paddle
  16. firm — decided
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cue — for pool
  19. firm — steady
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rash — a series

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