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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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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: staff · fan · stock · chair · bank · mouse · cabinet · charge

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bank — for money
  7. chair — a leader
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. staff — employees
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. stock — shares
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — goods
  22. charge — in control
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mouse — the animal

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