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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mate · dip · ball · march · object · bank · tube

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. tube — a container
  5. mate — to breed
  6. object — to protest
  7. mate — a friend
  8. object — a thing
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. march — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — the underground
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chip — to eat
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bank — of a river
  17. object — an aim
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — to dunk

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