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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kid — to tease
  11. chip — for betting
  12. branch — a division
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. object — a thing
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. object — to protest
  21. chip — to eat
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. object — an aim
  24. 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