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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.

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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: plane · chip · ruler · branch · charge · capital · field · craft

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. craft — boats
  5. field — for sport
  6. chip — for betting
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. branch — a division
  11. plane — a tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — a subject
  17. capital — a city
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — electricity
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. capital — money

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