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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 120 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stock — shares
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bank — of a river
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bank — for money
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — for money
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. chair — a leader
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. calf — a young animal

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