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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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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: bank · bark · staff · chip · pass · ball · row · scale

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bank — of a river
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. staff — employees
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pass — a permit
  22. scale — in music
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bank — for money

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