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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. tube — a container
  7. game — a match
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chair — a leader
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. key — in music
  20. branch — a division
  21. game — wild animals
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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