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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bank — of a river
  9. present — the time now
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — shares
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. present — there
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stock — goods
  24. stem — to come from

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