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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: chair · stem · rest · toast · bear · rock

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rest — a break
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. chair — a leader
  18. toast — the most admired

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