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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: calf · band · lean · fan · bank · stock · rock · chip

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rock — music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — a stone
  9. band — a ring
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lean — thin
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. lean — to bend
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. band — a music group
  21. bank — of a river
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stock — goods
  24. chip — in a computer

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