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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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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rash — a series
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chip — for betting
  11. present — the time now
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. present — a gift
  17. bass — low music
  18. rock — music
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. present — there
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rock — to move gently

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