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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 116 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: chip · saw · pitcher · dip · cue · swing · bank · squash

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. swing — music
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. swing — in golf
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cue — for pool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. chip — for betting
  24. dip — to sink

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