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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · leaves · mouse · cell · chair · race

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bank — for money
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. chair — a leader

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