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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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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: bore · bank · cabinet · chip · wind · track · patient · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bass — low music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bank — for money
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. wind — moving air
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bore — gave birth

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