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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stock — shares
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. chip — to eat
  14. land — ground
  15. branch — a division
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stock — goods
  19. land — to come down
  20. row — a line
  21. drill — army training
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — the tool
  24. land — a country

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