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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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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: leaves · branch · cabinet · snap · ruler · lash · chip · bay

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chip — for betting
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. branch — a division
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chip — in a computer

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