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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. board — a committee
  5. tube — the underground
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. content — the amount
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. tube — a container
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. row — to paddle
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. content — happy
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. board — to get on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. chip — to eat
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. row — a line
  23. branch — a division
  24. chip — for betting

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