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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: scale · bank · band · current · snap · chip · pass · track

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. current — electric
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. band — a ring
  8. current — of water
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. scale — in music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. chip — to eat
  13. snap — to click
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. track — a song
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. current — happening now
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a music group
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. track — a path
  24. pass — to spend time

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