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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: lean · fork · chip · jam · stock · bank · stand · club

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — of a river
  11. club — for golf
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stock — shares
  14. club — for dancing
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. club — a group
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. fork — in a road

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