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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 120 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: rest · suit · board · chip · content · pop · squash · fan

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pop — soda
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. board — a committee
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. squash — the sport
  13. content — the amount
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — to visit
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rest — a break
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — to fit
  23. board — to get on
  24. content — happy

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