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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. band — a ring
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. branch — a division
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. tube — a container
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. band — a music group
  17. season — in sport
  18. chip — to eat
  19. tube — the underground
  20. season — of the year
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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