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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: ground · chip · degree · lie · pit · bank · toast · present

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. present — a gift
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. degree — from a university
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. degree — an amount
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. ground — a position
  15. present — the time now
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. present — there
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — to recline

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