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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. deal — to handle
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. content — the amount
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. content — happy
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lean — thin
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. chip — for betting
  24. branch — of a bank

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