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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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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 · squash · arm · club · hide · rest · season · lash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. season — in sport
  15. club — a group
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — of the year
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rest — what's left
  22. squash — the sport
  23. club — for golf
  24. chip — to eat

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