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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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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 · cell · object · fork · chip · cap · bear · pass

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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. squash — to crush
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cap — of ice
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — the sport
  17. object — to protest
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cell — a phone
  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