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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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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: fall · branch · ground · chip · rest · suit · calf · wind

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fall — to drop
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fall — the season
  6. rest — a break
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ground — a position
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — clothes
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ground — crushed
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ground — the earth

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