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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. present — a gift
  4. charge — electricity
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. charge — a price
  16. ground — the earth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. present — there
  22. charge — in control
  23. present — the time now
  24. bear — 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