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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. land — a country
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. land — to come down
  10. branch — a division
  11. pass — a permit
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. land — ground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pit — a hole
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pit — in a race

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