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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: pass · ball · spell · chip · bank · degree · roll · lie

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pass — a permit
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. bank — for money
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — to eat
  15. roll — a list
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. degree — from a university
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. degree — temperature
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bank — of a river

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