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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.

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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: squash · hide · chip · fan · straw · board · wind · racket

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. board — a committee
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. board — to get on
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. squash — to crush
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. straw — dry grass

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