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

Word bank: stand · hand · chip · content · prune · branch

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. content — the amount
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hand — help
  13. chip — for betting
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. chip — to eat
  16. branch — a division
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. content — happy

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