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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. squash — the sport
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. plane — a tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — a price
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. prune — to trim
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. charge — in control
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rock — a stone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. plane — an aircraft

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