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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bank — for money
  7. scale — in music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stock — goods
  12. bank — for money
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bore — to drill
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bore — gave birth

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