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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: wake · racket · bank · chip · cell · craft

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cell — in biology
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — boats
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wake — before a funeral

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