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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: board · bank · charge · chip · club · ground · snap · wave

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. bank — for money
  2. charge — in control
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. chip — for betting
  10. charge — a price
  11. snap — to click
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. board — a committee
  15. bank — for money
  16. ground — the earth
  17. charge — electricity
  18. board — to get on
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ground — a position
  23. club — for golf
  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