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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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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: lash · degree · safe · chip · bank · chest · row · mouse

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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. bank — for money
  4. degree — from a university
  5. row — a line
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. row — to paddle
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. chest — a box
  17. chest — of your body
  18. degree — an amount
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chest — of your body
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. safe — a strongbox

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