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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. chip — to eat
  4. branch — a division
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. root — of a plant
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. rock — a stone
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stock — goods
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — of a word
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. root — the cause
  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