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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rush — hurry
  4. row — a line
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fall — to drop
  8. current — electric
  9. kid — child
  10. row — to paddle
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fall — to drop
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fall — the season
  21. kid — to tease
  22. branch — a division
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rush — a thrill

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