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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. chip — to eat
  4. firm — a company
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. root — the cause
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — for betting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — a break
  15. root — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — final
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. last — to go on
  21. root — of a word
  22. last — finally
  23. firm — steady
  24. cabinet — ministers

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