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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bound — certain
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spring — of water
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. craft — a skill
  19. spring — a coil
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. branch — a division
  23. chip — to eat
  24. craft — boats

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