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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · chair · chip · race · mouse · firm

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. firm — a company
  4. rock — a stone
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rock — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. race — humankind
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. race — a contest
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chair — a leader

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