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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: bank · court · pound · wake · rush · deal · chip · temple

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wake — a trail
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bank — of a river
  10. court — of a king
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pound — a weight
  15. court — of law
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. court — for sport
  24. chip — for betting

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