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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: chip · press · foot · coach · branch · drill · cue · safe

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. press — to push
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. branch — a division
  13. drill — the tool
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. press — newspapers
  21. drill — army training
  22. cue — for pool
  23. foot — a measure
  24. safe — out of danger

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