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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: suit · ground · bank · cabinet · chip · current · rest · saw

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — crushed
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bank — for money
  6. ground — a position
  7. chip — for betting
  8. current — of water
  9. chip — to eat
  10. current — happening now
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bank — for money
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — electric
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — a break
  22. ground — the earth
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rest — what's left

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