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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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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: bank · craft · rest · fork · lean · chip · spring · temple

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — boats
  4. rest — what's left
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bank — of a river
  8. craft — a skill
  9. spring — of water
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — for betting
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rest — a break
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spring — the season
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — thin

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