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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · leaves · pitcher · wound · squash · chip · rest · scale

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rest — a break
  9. squash — the sport
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. track — a path
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. track — a song
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — to crush
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wound — an injury
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wound — an injury

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