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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: rush · chair · bank · last · chip · ruler · pitch · mouse

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. last — finally
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bank — for money
  7. last — to go on
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. last — final
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — for money
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mouse — the animal

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