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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: wind · bank · cue · fine · nail · bass · chip · mark

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bass — low music
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fine — high quality
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cue — a signal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bank — for money
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fine — all right
  24. chip — in a computer

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