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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bank — of a river
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — for money
  11. deal — to handle
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pass — a permit
  15. present — the time now
  16. track — a song
  17. present — there
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — a gift
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bank — for money

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