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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 · suit · season · lie · squash · chip · plane · wind

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lie — to recline
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chip — for betting
  12. plane — a tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air
  19. suit — in cards
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bank — of a river
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. season — in sport

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