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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. object — to protest
  4. land — a country
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. land — to come down
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. land — ground
  11. branch — a division
  12. object — an aim
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. suit — clothes
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. object — a thing
  24. squash — to crush

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