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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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chair — a leader
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. row — a line
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. court — for sport
  9. prune — to trim
  10. court — of law
  11. bank — for money
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bank — of a river
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. court — of a king
  24. prune — to trim

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