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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
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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: saw · bay · row · bank · chip · track · calf · can

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chip — to eat
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chip — for betting
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. row — a line
  15. row — to paddle
  16. can — to be able to
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — a horse colour

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