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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. chip — to eat
  6. track — a path
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chip — for betting
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — in football

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