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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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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: file · tube · stick · ground · bay · chip · branch · pass

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. tube — a container
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. tube — the underground
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ground — crushed
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ground — a position
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. branch — a division
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. chip — to eat
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. chip — for betting
  18. file — a document
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pass — a permit
  21. file — a tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bay — a horse colour

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