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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: chip · hide · stock · bowl · hand · bank · suit · fan

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — shares
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — for money
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bank — of a river

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