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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tear — to rip
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. chip — to eat
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pitch — completely
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stock — shares
  13. lean — to bend
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. branch — a division
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chip — for betting
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. chip — in a computer

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