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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · toast · fine · mouse · bowl · branch

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. chip — for betting
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. branch — a division
  8. fine — all right
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. chip — to eat
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. toast — bread
  18. mouse — the animal

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