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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 116 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: calf · bass · bank · current · clip · track · racket · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. current — of water
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — a path
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bass — the fish
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — low music
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — to eat
  14. clip — a video
  15. current — happening now
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. track — to keep track
  18. clip — to cut
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — electric
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — a song

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