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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. track — to keep track
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. branch — a division
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chip — for betting
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — a hole
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. track — a path
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — a match
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. game — wild animals
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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