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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. content — the amount
  5. season — of the year
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chip — to eat
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. can — a tin
  17. content — happy
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — to be able to
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. can — a tin

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