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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: chip · last · jam · kick · leaves · rash · deal · bank

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bank — of a river
  3. last — finally
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. kick — in football
  7. last — final
  8. last — to go on
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rash — a series
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — to eat
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bank — for money
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. kick — with a leg

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