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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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Word bank
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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chair — a leader
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bank — for money
  9. degree — temperature
  10. craft — a skill
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. squash — to crush
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. craft — boats
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stem — to come from
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bank — for money

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