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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · jam · board · object · content · racket · chip · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — to eat
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. object — an aim
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. content — the amount
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. object — to protest
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chip — for betting
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. content — happy
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. object — a thing
  24. board — a flat piece

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