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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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Word bank
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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: chip · pound · wave · craft · bank · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. present — a gift
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bank — of a river
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — boats
  10. chip — for betting
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. present — the time now
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pound — for dogs

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