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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 120 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
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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: chip · mark · ball · press · arm · squash · suit · row

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. squash — to crush
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — to push
  12. row — a line
  13. ball — a dance
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mark — a grade
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. squash — the sport
  24. row — to paddle

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