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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 · rush · suit · bank · face · straw · kid · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. kid — child
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rush — hurry
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a document
  17. chip — for betting
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chip — to eat
  21. kid — to tease
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. face — to confront

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