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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — to come down
  6. lean — thin
  7. land — a country
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — ground
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. lash — to lash out

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