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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — after costs
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. chip — to eat
  10. object — a thing
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pass — a permit
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — to be able to
  21. object — an aim
  22. chip — for betting
  23. net — in sport
  24. object — to protest

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