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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — a company
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. press — a publisher
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — ground
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. press — to push
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stock — goods
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. press — newspapers
  18. firm — decided
  19. cue — a signal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. land — a country
  23. stock — a soup base
  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