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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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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ground — crushed
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stock — goods
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stock — shares
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. mug — to rob
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ground — a position
  16. mug — a face
  17. staff — employees
  18. press — a publisher
  19. board — a committee
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. staff — employees
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mug — a cup

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