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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. branch — a division
  4. pitch — completely
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chest — of your body
  7. court — of a king
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chip — to eat
  12. net — for catching
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. court — of law
  15. chip — for betting
  16. net — in sport
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — for sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. chest — a box
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. branch — of a bank

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