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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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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: chip · wave · ruler · nail · hand · bank · branch · firm

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. firm — steady
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chip — to eat
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. hand — help
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — decided
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — a company
  22. branch — a division
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ruler — for measuring

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