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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: game · saw · chip · trunk · bank · stand · capital · safe

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bank — of a river
  11. game — wild animals
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. capital — a city
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bank — for money
  17. game — a match
  18. capital — money
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — to bear
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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