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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 116 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: mine · suit · squash · tube · cell · branch · bulb · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — clothes
  5. branch — a division
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — a container
  12. squash — to crush
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mine — for digging
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. cell — a phone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — of a tree

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