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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: bore · pass · chip · row · plane · sharp · bank · march

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. march — music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — a line
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. march — the month
  17. pass — a permit
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bore — to tire
  21. sharp — clever
  22. march — the month
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pass — to succeed

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