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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: squash · clip · ruler · bear · stock · chip · band · mug

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stock — goods
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mug — to rob
  7. clip — a video
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mug — a cup
  10. squash — the sport
  11. clip — for paper
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. clip — to cut
  14. band — a ring
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stock — shares
  21. mug — a face
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. chip — for betting
  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