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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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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: branch · wound · tear · toast · firm · mark · hide · chip

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. firm — steady
  3. tear — from crying
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. firm — a company
  7. chip — for betting
  8. tear — to rip
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. branch — a division
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. firm — decided
  18. toast — bread
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wound — an injury
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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