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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 116 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: wave · face · rock · press · chip · suit · squash · object

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rock — a stone
  3. suit — to fit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — to protest
  7. rock — music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. face — to point toward
  11. chip — for betting
  12. object — a thing
  13. squash — the sport
  14. face — part of the head
  15. chip — to eat
  16. press — to push
  17. squash — to crush
  18. object — an aim
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. face — to confront
  24. chip — in a computer

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