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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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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: mate · can · pop · bear · bat · board · chip · bank

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — music
  11. board — a committee
  12. can — a tin
  13. pop — to visit
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. bat — the animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. pop — soda
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. chip — for betting
  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