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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chair · stock · press · safe · current · capital · branch · snap

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. press — newspapers
  4. snap — to click
  5. chair — a leader
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — to push
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. capital — money
  16. press — a publisher
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. current — happening now
  22. capital — a city
  23. branch — a division
  24. current — electric

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