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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: deal · last · cap · rush · mouse · squash · bank · chair

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. last — finally
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bank — of a river
  11. last — to go on
  12. cap — a hat
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. squash — the sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cap — a lid
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. last — final

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