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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: wave · press · branch · chip · date · calf · mine · ruler

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. press — newspapers
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. date — the fruit
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. branch — a division
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. press — a publisher
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chip — to eat
  22. press — to push
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ruler — for measuring

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