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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: squash · stock · branch · plane · spell · pass · chip · clip

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. branch — of a bank
  2. clip — for paper
  3. spell — magic
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — to cut
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — goods
  8. branch — a division
  9. pass — a permit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. chip — for betting
  15. spell — letters
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stock — shares
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. squash — to crush
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pass — to succeed
  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