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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. degree — an amount
  8. can — a tin
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hand — help
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — from a university
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. branch — a division
  22. hand — in cards
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. degree — temperature

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