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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.

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: chip · safe · leaves · stock · shower · bank · file · pass

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. chip — to eat
  4. file — a line of people
  5. shower — to wash
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — shares
  13. file — a document
  14. stock — goods
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. shower — rain
  23. pass — a permit
  24. file — a tool

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