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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · snap · press · court · track · chip

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. 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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. court — for sport
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — newspapers
  9. court — of law
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. press — to push
  13. court — of a king
  14. track — a song
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. bank — of a river
  18. 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