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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: branch · suit · chip · board · racket · pit · arm · wax

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pit — in a race
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chip — to eat
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. board — a committee
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. pit — a hole
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — clothes

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