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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.

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: chip · season · squash · rash · ball · wake · wind · object

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. squash — the sport
  6. object — an aim
  7. rash — hasty
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. season — of the year
  10. ball — a great time
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. wind — moving air
  13. object — a thing
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. object — to protest
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rash — a series
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. season — in sport
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wake — before a funeral

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