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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 124 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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. pass — a permit
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — a committee
  9. ground — the earth
  10. chip — to eat
  11. board — to get on
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ground — a position
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — happy
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. branch — a division
  21. toast — bread
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pass — to spend time

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