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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 120 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: race · bulb · chip · club · racket · branch · content · plane

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — a division
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. club — for dancing
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. content — happy
  14. chip — for betting
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — for light
  17. club — a group
  18. race — humankind
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. content — the amount
  23. plane — a tool
  24. club — for golf

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