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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: stick · trunk · charge · foot · chip · bank · net · row

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bank — for money
  4. charge — in control
  5. net — for catching
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. net — after costs
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. net — in sport
  20. row — a line
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. foot — a measure
  24. row — a quarrel

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