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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: bank · band · nail · pop · chip · leaves · can · cell

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in biology
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cell — a phone
  10. band — a ring
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a music group
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — soda
  20. bank — for money
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pop — music
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — to go away

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