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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · branch · degree · fine · mate · board · lash · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mate — a partner
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. board — to get on
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mate — to breed
  8. chip — for betting
  9. branch — a division
  10. fine — high quality
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fine — all right
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — an amount
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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