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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 120 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 · tube · nail · bank · foot · saw · land · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. saw — the tool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. tube — a container
  6. foot — a measure
  7. land — to come down
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — a break
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — for betting
  18. land — ground
  19. saw — the tool
  20. land — a country
  21. tube — the underground
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. tube — in a tire

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