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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.

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: squash · chip · bulb · bear · branch · chest · plane · straw

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. squash — to crush
  5. branch — a division
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. squash — the sport
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. chip — to eat
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chest — a box
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chest — of your body
  24. branch — of a bank

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