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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chip — for betting
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — clothes
  14. can — a tin
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. can — a tin
  19. bark — to shout
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. squash — the sport
  23. chip — in a computer
  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