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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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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: bound · arm · bank · chip · straw · march · pit · deal

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — certain
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — to handle
  8. march — the month
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pit — a hole
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pit — in a race
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. march — music
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. chip — for betting
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. march — the month

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