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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — music
  5. firm — decided
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — in control
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — to eat
  13. charge — electricity
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. charge — a price
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bear — the animal
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. firm — a company
  24. chip — for betting

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