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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · mate · saw · bank · bear · game · cabinet · chip

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. game — a match
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. board — to get on
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — a committee
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mate — a friend

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