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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · chip · can · wound · pitch · land · object · bowl

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. can — a tin
  6. land — ground
  7. can — a tin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. squash — to crush
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. land — to come down
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. object — a thing
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. land — a country
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wound — an injury
  24. can — to be able to

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