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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. object — an aim
  3. rest — a break
  4. branch — a division
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rest — what's left
  11. object — a thing
  12. bore — to drill
  13. row — a line
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. fine — all right
  17. board — a committee
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rest — what's left
  20. row — to paddle
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fine — high quality
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. object — to protest

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