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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. current — happening now
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. board — a committee
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. hand — help
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. hand — in cards
  16. branch — a division
  17. current — electric
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bank — of a river
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — of water
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bank — for money
  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