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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. charge — in control
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — part of the head
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chair — a leader
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. face — to confront
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. face — to point toward
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — of the leg

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