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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 120 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 · bound · bowl · can · squash · stock · chip · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. squash — the sport
  3. can — a tin
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bank — for money
  13. bound — tied together
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — certain
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stock — shares
  23. foot — a measure
  24. squash — the vegetable

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