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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: club · suit · season · tube · squash · firm · chip · bass

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. club — for golf
  6. firm — decided
  7. season — in sport
  8. tube — a container
  9. chip — for betting
  10. club — a group
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. squash — the sport
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bass — low music
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. firm — a company
  20. suit — clothes
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — the fish
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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