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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. chair — a leader
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. dip — to sink
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. branch — a division
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ruler — for measuring

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