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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rule — a law
  5. branch — a division
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. current — happening now
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. current — electric
  12. chip — for betting
  13. march — the month
  14. current — of water
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — music
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mug — a face
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mug — to rob
  24. march — the month

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