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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: tube · wave · last · bank · bound · kick · temple · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. last — finally
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. chip — to eat
  7. tube — a container
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — the underground
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bound — obliged
  21. kick — in football
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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