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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stock — shares
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. branch — a division
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — a gift
  9. stock — goods
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — there
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. present — the time now
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rush — hurry
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. safe — a strongbox

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