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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: dip · bank · pass · can · season · race · chair · chest

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bank — for money
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. season — of the year
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chest — a box
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — humankind
  17. chest — of your body
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. season — in sport
  24. can — to be able to

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