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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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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 · track · board · root · bank · wake

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — a committee
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. chip — to eat
  17. board — to get on
  18. wake — a trail

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