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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 · bass · ruler · roll · current · wave · chip · prune

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — low music
  5. roll — a list
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. roll — a cake
  21. current — of water
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ruler — for measuring

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