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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a hint
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stock — goods
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stock — shares
  20. cue — a signal
  21. branch — a division
  22. chip — for betting
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — in a computer

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