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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — a law
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — of a river
  7. face — to point toward
  8. spring — the season
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — part of the head
  14. spring — of water
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. branch — a division
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — in a race
  21. spring — a coil
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. face — to confront

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