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

Word bank: squash · hide · wave · chip · club · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. chip — to eat
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. club — for golf
  7. squash — to crush
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. club — a group
  17. squash — the sport
  18. chip — for betting

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