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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. firm — a company
  2. chair — a leader
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. stem — to come from
  8. firm — steady
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cold — an illness
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — decided
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. object — to protest
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — high quality
  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