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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: content · fan · press · bank · drill · chip · wind · firm

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — for betting
  3. press — newspapers
  4. content — happy
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bank — for money
  7. wind — moving air
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. press — a publisher
  11. drill — army training
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. drill — the tool
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. firm — a company
  18. bank — of a river
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wind — moving air
  21. press — to push
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. content — the amount
  24. fan — to cool the air

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