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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: chip · swing · shower · safe · wave · bank · rest · content

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rest — a break
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. chip — for betting
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bank — for money
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. swing — in golf
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. shower — rain
  14. rest — what's left
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. content — happy
  20. swing — music
  21. rest — what's left
  22. content — the amount
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. swing — to play on

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