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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: hide · chip · deal · jam · cold · object · mate · bank

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. object — a thing
  3. mate — a friend
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — to eat
  7. object — an aim
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cold — an illness
  10. mate — to breed
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bank — for money
  13. object — to protest
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mate — a partner
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cold — not warm
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bank — of a river
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. hide — to keep secret

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