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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · mine · net · bank · chip · racket · face · ground

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to confront
  5. net — for catching
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bank — for money
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pass — a permit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. net — in sport
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. net — after costs

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