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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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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: charge · band · chip · arm · row · fork · bank · bay

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bank — for money
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bank — of a river
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. charge — electricity
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. band — a music group
  22. row — a line
  23. band — a ring
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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