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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 · file · clip · rush · mug · bank · board · face

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bank — of a river
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. board — to get on
  5. clip — a video
  6. file — a tool
  7. face — to point toward
  8. board — a committee
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. file — a document
  11. mug — a face
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. file — a line of people
  16. clip — to cut
  17. rush — hurry
  18. clip — for paper
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — to hurry

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