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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bank — of a river
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pit — in a race
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chair — a leader
  14. mate — a friend
  15. craft — boats
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mate — to breed
  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