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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. root — the cause
  4. object — a thing
  5. root — of a word
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. object — an aim
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — of a river
  14. prune — to trim
  15. object — to protest
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chair — a leader
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chip — to eat
  21. spell — magic
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bank — for money
  24. root — of a plant

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