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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. chip — to eat
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — decided
  6. clip — for paper
  7. firm — a company
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. clip — a video
  15. track — to keep track
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. clip — to cut
  20. branch — a division
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — for betting
  24. firm — steady

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