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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 124 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. branch — a division
  5. tube — a container
  6. bank — for money
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bank — for money
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ball — a dance
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. chip — to eat
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. chip — in a computer

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