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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: tube · content · snap · pop · leaves · kid · bank · chip

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pop — to visit
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — soda
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. content — the amount
  12. kid — child
  13. content — happy
  14. tube — a container
  15. chip — for betting
  16. snap — to click
  17. pop — music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bank — for money
  24. content — videos and posts

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