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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
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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: chip · mug · squash · saw · branch · leaves · snap · bear

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bear — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chip — to eat
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chip — for betting
  18. squash — to crush
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. snap — to click
  23. mug — a face
  24. saw — the tool

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