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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: firm · bass · hand · wound · bulb · staff · squash · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. squash — to crush
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hand — in cards
  8. chip — to eat
  9. firm — a company
  10. chip — for betting
  11. staff — employees
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hand — help
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. staff — employees

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