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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: face · bank · chip · stand · nail · snap · racket · dip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stand — to bear
  5. face — to point toward
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bank — of a river
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to confront
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. snap — to click
  24. dip — a sauce

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