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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
468
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 · mate · bulb · branch · racket · spell · tube · bark

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. chip — for betting
  5. spell — letters
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mate — a friend
  10. tube — the underground
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — a division
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. spell — a short time
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — to eat
  23. spell — magic
  24. tube — a container

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