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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 120 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: chest · bank · chip · rest · pass · bear · mark · dip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bank — for money
  14. chest — a box
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. dip — to sink
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rest — a break
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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