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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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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: scale · wound · chip · branch · content · prune · bulb · pass

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. branch — a division
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. scale — in music
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. content — happy

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