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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: saw · charge · bank · cold · bass · season · chip · mark

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. charge — in control
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bank — of a river
  11. charge — a price
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. cold — an illness
  16. bass — low music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bank — for money
  19. mark — a trace
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cold — not warm
  24. mark — to pay attention

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