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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chip — for betting
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bear — the animal
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. racket — a loud noise

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