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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: chip · suit · safe · cold · board · bank · pop · kid

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cold — an illness
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cold — not warm
  8. board — to get on
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pop — soda
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — to visit
  18. kid — child
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — to fit
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pop — music
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. kid — to tease

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