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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: chip · content · club · suit · row · bank · lash · pit

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. suit — clothes
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bank — for money
  6. content — happy
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. club — for golf
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — the amount
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. suit — in cards
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. club — for dancing
  23. suit — to fit
  24. club — a group

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