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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: staff · squash · pass · kick · board · chip · perch · jam

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. perch — the fish
  10. kick — in football
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. board — a committee
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — for betting
  15. staff — a stick
  16. board — to get on
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. kick — a thrill

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