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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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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: spell · saw · can · present · content · chip · bank · bass

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. present — a gift
  4. content — the amount
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — a short time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. bass — low music
  14. can — to be able to
  15. content — happy
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. present — there
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — the time now
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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