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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 124 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: cap · branch · fine · squash · chip · season · foot · race

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. branch — a division
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. chip — to eat
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. season — of the year
  11. squash — to crush
  12. cap — of ice
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fine — all right
  20. race — a contest
  21. cap — a lid
  22. season — in sport
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — the sport

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