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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · firm · spell · tube · chip · rest · swing · march

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. squash — to crush
  3. spell — letters
  4. chip — for betting
  5. swing — to play on
  6. march — music
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. squash — the sport
  12. march — the month
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — in golf
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spell — magic
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rest — a break
  21. tube — the underground
  22. swing — music
  23. march — the month
  24. firm — steady

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