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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. chip — to eat
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. root — the cause
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. dip — to sink
  13. chip — for betting
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — to get on
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. board — a committee
  24. firm — a company

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