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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: chip · snap · wake · mine · last · stock · bank · mate

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. snap — to click
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. mine — for digging
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stock — shares
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stock — goods
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. last — finally
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mine — an explosive

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