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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cap — a hat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. row — a line
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wake — a trail
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cap — a lid
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wake — before a funeral

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