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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: rule · court · chip · suit · bear · branch · racket · fan

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. court — of law
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. court — of a king
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rule — a law
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. court — for sport
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rule — government
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fan — a supporter

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