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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: bank · fan · last · rock · cap · chip · squash · deal

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. chip — for betting
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — of a river
  10. last — to go on
  11. cap — a lid
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — a stone
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. last — final
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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