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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: club · bank · present · chip · racket · board

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. board — a committee
  3. chip — to eat
  4. club — for golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. club — a group
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — for dancing
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. present — the time now
  18. racket — a loud noise

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