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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: spell · bank · lie · stem · content · bowl · chip · club

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. club — a group
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — to recline
  5. chip — for betting
  6. content — happy
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bank — of a river
  15. content — the amount
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. club — for golf
  18. spell — magic
  19. bank — for money
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. spell — letters
  24. lie — an untruth

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