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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fall — to drop
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — a stone
  12. branch — a division
  13. rest — a break
  14. rock — music
  15. chip — to eat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bass — low music
  24. fall — the season

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