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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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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: rule · chip · ball · mug · prune · branch · track · season

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. season — in sport
  3. mug — a cup
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. branch — a division
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — of the year
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ball — a great time
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. track — a path
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. track — a song
  21. mug — a face
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — to rob

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