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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bound — certain
  6. bank — for money
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mug — a face
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bound — obliged
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mug — to rob
  17. tube — a container
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mug — a cup
  23. snap — to click
  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