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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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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — a company
  4. game — a match
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. chair — a leader
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mug — a cup
  12. game — wild animals
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. firm — steady
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mug — to rob
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. branch — a division

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