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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kid — child
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. suit — to fit
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. chip — to eat
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. kid — to tease
  21. chip — for betting
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. content — happy
  24. deal — to handle

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