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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.

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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: suit · fine · chip · squash · track · club · bank · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. club — for golf
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. squash — the sport
  6. track — a path
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — for betting
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fine — all right
  12. suit — in cards
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — clothes
  18. track — a song
  19. fall — the season
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bank — for money
  23. squash — to crush
  24. club — a group

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