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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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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: tube · file · fall · arm · coach · chip · cue · bank

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a document
  5. fall — to drop
  6. file — a line of people
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fall — the season
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fall — to drop
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. tube — the underground
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. tube — a container
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. chip — for betting

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