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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. spell — magic
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. branch — a division
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spell — letters
  21. chip — to eat
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. chip — for betting
  24. board — a flat piece

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