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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rock — music
  3. race — humankind
  4. charge — in control
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. branch — a division
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rock — a stone
  9. race — a contest
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. capital — a city
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. charge — a price
  14. bulb — for light
  15. deal — to handle
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. race — the arms race
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bulb — for light
  20. capital — money
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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