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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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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: rush · hide · chip · wind · toast · wake

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wind — moving air
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wind — moving air
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. chip — to eat
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rush — a thrill

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