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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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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. race — a contest
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. chip — to eat
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. branch — a division
  14. chip — for betting
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. net — in sport
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. net — for catching
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. net — after costs
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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