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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: hand · track · rush · chip · bank · fork · lean · can

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. track — a path
  6. fork — in a road
  7. track — a song
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. can — a tin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. hand — help
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. can — a tin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bank — of a river
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. lean — thin
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. hand — in cards
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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