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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: root · chip · cabinet · cold · can · bear · firm · last

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. last — finally
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. root — of a plant
  7. can — a tin
  8. cold — not warm
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. can — a tin
  12. chip — for betting
  13. can — to be able to
  14. last — final
  15. root — of a word
  16. last — to go on
  17. cold — an illness
  18. root — the cause
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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