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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. object — to protest
  8. bark — to shout
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. season — in sport
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rash — a series
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. object — a thing
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. season — of the year
  21. chair — a leader
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. object — an aim
  24. branch — a division

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