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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. branch — a division
  3. squash — to crush
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. chip — to eat
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. chip — for betting
  12. can — a tin
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. squash — the sport
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. racket — for tennis

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