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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: firm · scale · face · wave · last · tube · chip · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. firm — decided
  4. squash — to crush
  5. face — to point toward
  6. scale — size or range
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. last — finally
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. scale — in music
  12. squash — the sport
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. firm — steady
  20. last — to go on
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. last — final
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. firm — a company

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