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

Word bank: race · mouse · chip · kick · bank · suit

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — for money
  4. kick — in football
  5. race — humankind
  6. chip — to eat
  7. race — a contest
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg

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