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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 120 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: mark · fork · race · wax · squash · rush · mate · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mate — a friend
  15. race — the arms race
  16. squash — to crush
  17. shower — to wash
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fork — in a road

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