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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wind · chip · fan · rule · mate · squash · rock · scale

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. squash — the sport
  6. wind — moving air
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mate — to breed
  14. squash — to crush
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rule — a law
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rock — music
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rule — government
  22. mate — a friend
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rock — to move gently

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