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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: chip · bore · charge · race · plane · dip · season · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. charge — in control
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bore — to tire
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. charge — a price
  12. season — of the year
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — a tool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. charge — electricity
  18. race — humankind
  19. dip — to sink
  20. season — in sport
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bore — to drill
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. chip — for betting

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