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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. press — a publisher
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. swing — music
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. swing — in golf
  12. press — to push
  13. chip — to eat
  14. branch — a division
  15. press — newspapers
  16. swing — to play on
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — for a hammer

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