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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chip — for betting
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — all right
  9. prune — to trim
  10. file — a document
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. file — a tool
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. suit — to fit
  23. file — a line of people
  24. branch — of a bank

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