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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: pop · chip · bank · stand · pound · present

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. bank — for money
  2. pop — music
  3. chip — to eat
  4. present — a gift
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — there
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pop — soda
  16. present — the time now
  17. stand — to bear
  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