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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — certain
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a match
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wind — moving air
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bound — tied together
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cabinet — ministers

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