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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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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: chip · firm · fine · tear · pop · deal · spring · branch

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. firm — a company
  3. spring — a coil
  4. branch — a division
  5. fine — high quality
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fine — all right
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pop — soda
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. firm — steady
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. chip — for betting
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — the season
  20. pop — music
  21. spring — of water
  22. chip — to eat
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. tear — to rip

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