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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 116 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
468
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: chip · track · pop · mate · bank · wake · stand · squash

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mate — a partner
  10. chip — to eat
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bank — for money
  14. wake — a trail
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pop — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mate — a friend

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