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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: pop · bank · spring · chip · suit · stick

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. spring — the season
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. spring — of water
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pop — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pop — to visit
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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