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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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468
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: wave · racket · squash · bulb · prune · file · chip · branch

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. file — a tool
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. file — a document
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — to crush
  8. file — a line of people
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — to trim
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chip — to eat
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. chip — for betting
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. branch — a division
  24. prune — to trim

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