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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: ground · chip · firm · rash · cell · racket · branch · arm

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cell — in biology
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. firm — a company
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cell — a phone
  10. ground — the earth
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ground — a position
  15. branch — a division
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — for betting
  18. firm — steady
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ground — crushed
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. firm — decided

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