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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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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: pop · object · foot · squash · firm · fall · mark · last

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. object — a thing
  3. last — to go on
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. last — finally
  6. object — an aim
  7. firm — a company
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. squash — the sport
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pop — music
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mark — a grade
  15. firm — decided
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. object — to protest
  19. firm — steady
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. foot — a measure
  23. last — final
  24. squash — the vegetable

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