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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. spring — of water
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. spring — the season
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chip — for betting

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