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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ground — crushed
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. ground — the earth
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. object — an aim
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chip — to eat

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