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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 120 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. shower — rain
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bank — of a river
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rest — a break
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — for money
  24. chip — for betting

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