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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 116 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: stem · straw · bound · board · deal · pit · chip · chair

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bound — tied together
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pit — in a race
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. board — to get on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bound — certain
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. chair — to sit on

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