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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.

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: swing · lie · temple · chip · fan · patient · squash · hand

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — music
  6. hand — help
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. swing — to play on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. hand — in cards
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lie — to recline
  24. chip — for betting

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