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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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. snap — to click
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — for betting
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stand — to bear
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bank — for money
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. fork — in a road
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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