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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bank — for money
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. root — of a word
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chip — for betting
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. root — the cause
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cap — a lid

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