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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pop — soda
  5. branch — a division
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. band — a ring
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pop — music
  19. band — a music group
  20. rush — hurry
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. chip — for betting

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