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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. firm — steady
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. board — a committee
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bass — low music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bass — the fish
  12. firm — a company
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bear — the animal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. firm — decided
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chair — a leader
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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