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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — a division
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mate — a partner
  6. chip — for betting
  7. present — a gift
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fine — all right
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. board — a committee
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. present — the time now

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