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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.

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 · rash · chip · mouse · suit · bat · deal · wake

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — hasty
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rash — a series
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chip — for betting
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bat — for baseball

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