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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: mug · board · mark · fall · chip · snap · bank · wake

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. snap — to click
  3. board — to get on
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bank — for money
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mark — a trace
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fall — the season
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wake — a trail
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bank — for money
  22. mug — to rob
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wake — before a funeral

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