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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bank — for money
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chip — for betting
  6. toast — bread
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rash — a series
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. present — there
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bank — for money
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rash — hasty
  16. track — to keep track
  17. snap — to click
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. season — in sport
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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