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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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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 · ruler · bank · cabinet · object · chip · mouse · pit

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chip — for betting
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — a thing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — to protest
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. object — an aim
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — a division
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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