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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 120 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
468
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 · fine · net · staff · chip · stem · hide · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — all right
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. staff — employees
  7. net — in sport
  8. fine — high quality
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. net — for catching
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. net — after costs
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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