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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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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. last — to go on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — a company
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. last — final
  11. firm — decided
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. last — finally
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stem — to come from
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. firm — steady
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stem — of a plant

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