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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chip — to eat
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. suit — clothes
  24. trunk — of a car

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