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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: stand · chip · bowl · dip · mine · present · bank · cabinet

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bank — for money
  4. present — a gift
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. present — the time now
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. present — there
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. chip — for betting
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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