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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 116 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: rest · mine · spring · cap · bank · charge · mark · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. spring — of water
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — a price
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — the season
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cap — of ice
  20. chip — for betting
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cap — a lid

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