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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: scale · staff · branch · chip · last · band · toast · mate

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. band — a music group
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. last — to go on
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — a friend
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. chip — for betting
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. last — finally
  16. mate — to breed
  17. toast — bread
  18. staff — employees
  19. scale — in music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. band — a ring
  22. staff — a stick
  23. scale — size or range
  24. last — final

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