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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: branch · rule · root · chip · wound · present · bass · mouse

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. root — of a word
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rule — government
  5. present — a gift
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. present — there
  10. rule — a law
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bass — low music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chip — to eat
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wound — an injury
  18. root — the cause
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. present — the time now
  22. chip — in a computer
  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