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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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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 · wind · stick · branch · roll · bear · firm · chip

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bank — of a river
  5. firm — decided
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chip — to eat
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. roll — a list
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  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