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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: arm · ball · stand · march · dip · chip · bank · season

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bank — of a river
  9. march — the month
  10. season — in sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ball — a dance
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stand — to bear
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bank — for money
  24. march — music

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