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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. object — a thing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. sharp — clever
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — in sport
  18. chair — a leader
  19. branch — a division
  20. season — of the year
  21. object — an aim
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — to protest
  24. chair — to sit on

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