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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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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: mate · ground · chip · stock · branch · snap · current · rest

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. current — electric
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ground — a position
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rest — a break
  12. ground — crushed
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stock — shares
  15. current — happening now
  16. stock — goods
  17. snap — to click
  18. rest — what's left
  19. current — of water
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mate — to breed
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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