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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: firm · track · object · foot · temple · club · bank · chip

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bank — of a river
  7. club — a group
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bank — for money
  10. object — a thing
  11. firm — a company
  12. club — for golf
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. foot — a measure
  15. club — for dancing
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. object — to protest
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. object — an aim
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — to eat

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