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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
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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: mark · arm · spell · squash · chip · saw · cap · drill

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. drill — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mark — a grade
  10. drill — a practice
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. drill — army training
  15. cap — a hat
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. spell — magic
  19. chip — for betting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. spell — letters
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. squash — the vegetable

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