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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chip — for betting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — certain
  6. pit — in a race
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spell — magic
  10. cue — a hint
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. spell — letters
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. branch — a division
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pit — a hole
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. file — a tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bound — tied together

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