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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kid — child
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rest — what's left
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. chip — to eat
  24. toast — bread

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