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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: rule · ball · branch · chip · mate · lean · squash · content

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. chip — for betting
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. content — the amount
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rule — government
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mate — a partner
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. branch — a division
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. ball — a dance
  18. content — happy
  19. rule — a law
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lean — thin
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lean — to bend

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