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

Word bank: chip · fork · firm · bay · chair · stick

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fork — in a road
  8. firm — steady
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — a company
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fork — a garden tool

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