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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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Word bank
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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. present — the time now
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. branch — a division
  6. snap — to click
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. spell — magic
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. present — there
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. present — a gift
  17. season — in sport
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. spell — a short time
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spell — letters
  24. branch — of a tree

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