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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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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: chip · bay · pass · suit · row · chair · leaves · tube

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. suit — in cards
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. row — to paddle
  10. tube — the underground
  11. row — a line
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chair — a leader
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. tube — a container
  24. leaves — lets stay

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