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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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. band — a ring
  10. squash — the sport
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a music group
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — of a river
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bank — for money
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stand — on your feet

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