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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. band — a music group
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. board — a committee
  10. band — a ring
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — for betting
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. saw — the tool
  17. board — to get on
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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