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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · bank · hide · rush · arm · squash · chip · patient

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bank — for money
  7. rush — hurry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. squash — the sport
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. squash — to crush
  19. chip — to eat
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bank — for money
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — of a river

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