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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. branch — a division
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. object — an aim
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. present — there
  12. wake — a trail
  13. object — a thing
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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