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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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chair — a leader
  3. mug — a face
  4. pop — music
  5. row — a line
  6. pop — to visit
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mug — a cup
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ground — a position
  11. row — to paddle
  12. firm — decided
  13. saw — the tool
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. firm — a company
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pop — soda
  22. firm — steady
  23. mug — to rob
  24. chair — a professorship

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