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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: file · bank · lean · squash · rest · bass · charge · last

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. file — a tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. rest — a break
  5. lean — thin
  6. last — to go on
  7. squash — the sport
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — final
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bank — for money
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bank — of a river
  16. last — finally
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. bass — low music
  20. file — a document
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rest — what's left
  24. file — a line of people

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