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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chair — a leader
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stock — goods
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stock — shares
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. staff — employees

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