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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: club · rush · bass · roll · mate · bear · hand · chip

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. hand — help
  7. chip — for betting
  8. club — a group
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bass — low music
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. roll — a cake
  18. club — for golf
  19. roll — a list
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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