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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: staff · wake · ground · wave · bay · squash · jam · rash

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rash — a series
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. squash — to crush
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. staff — employees
  12. squash — the sport
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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