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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: staff · suit · bowl · squash · wound · face · chip · rush

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. face — to point toward
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. squash — to crush
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chip — for betting
  15. staff — employees
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rush — hurry
  20. face — part of the head
  21. staff — employees
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. face — to confront
  24. bowl — a dish

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