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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: bound · plane · bank · chip · squash · bass · bear · fan

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bound — obliged
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bank — for money
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chip — in a computer

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