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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.

Words on the sheet
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: craft · chip · press · file · branch · plane · content · tube

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. tube — the underground
  5. chip — to eat
  6. press — to push
  7. file — a tool
  8. content — the amount
  9. press — newspapers
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. craft — a skill
  12. file — a document
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. tube — a container
  16. content — happy
  17. press — a publisher
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. chip — for betting
  24. craft — boats

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