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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: key · branch · chip · bound · spell · pass · wind · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bound — obliged
  4. key — the most important part
  5. branch — a division
  6. key — in music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. chip — to eat
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bound — tied together
  13. tube — a container
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. bound — certain
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pass — to spend time

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