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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · coach · net · rest · bowl · bank · lie · chip

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. chip — for betting
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lie — to recline
  13. net — in sport
  14. rest — what's left
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rest — a break

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