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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: rash · swing · foot · prune · suit · chip · track · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rash — hasty
  4. swing — to play on
  5. track — a path
  6. swing — music
  7. foot — a measure
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — clothes
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. squash — to crush
  17. track — to keep track
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rash — a series
  20. swing — in golf
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. track — a song

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