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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: chip · pound · wave · craft · bank · present · toast · mine

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. chip — for betting
  4. craft — a skill
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. chip — to eat
  7. present — there
  8. craft — boats
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. present — the time now
  13. bank — for money
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. present — a gift
  16. toast — bread
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pound — a weight
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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