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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — for money
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. staff — employees
  7. game — wild animals
  8. can — to be able to
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bank — for money
  11. staff — employees
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chip — to eat
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. game — a match
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rush — hurry
  24. can — a tin

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