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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · plane · chip · bound · temple · bank · file · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — for money
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chip — for betting
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — of a river
  9. firm — decided
  10. bound — certain
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bound — obliged
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. firm — a company
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bound — tied together
  24. chip — to eat

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