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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — for money
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fork — in a road
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — the sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. roll — a list
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bank — of a river
  22. squash — to crush
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. safe — out of danger

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