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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. stock — goods
  4. chair — a leader
  5. branch — a division
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ball — a great time
  9. drill — army training
  10. pound — a weight
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — shares
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. drill — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stock — a soup base

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