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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: suit · squash · track · chip · land · dip · rest · tube

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — to fit
  5. squash — the sport
  6. rest — what's left
  7. tube — a container
  8. squash — to crush
  9. land — ground
  10. track — a path
  11. suit — clothes
  12. track — a song
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. chip — to eat
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rest — what's left
  22. track — to keep track
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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