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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: last · stock · sharp · calf · mug · staff · chair · roll

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. last — final
  3. chair — a leader
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. staff — a stick
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mug — a face
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. roll — a cake
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stock — shares
  15. last — to go on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. stock — goods
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. last — finally
  24. sharp — exactly

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