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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 · kick · bank · dip · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bank — for money
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. race — a contest
  11. kick — in football
  12. bank — of a river
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. race — humankind
  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