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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: foot · bay · chip · branch · hide · suit · drill · spell

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. drill — army training
  2. chip — to eat
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. chip — for betting
  6. spell — letters
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. drill — a practice
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. foot — a measure
  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