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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chair · mark · foot · ground · bear · lean · firm · charge

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mark — a grade
  5. firm — a company
  6. mark — a trace
  7. firm — steady
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lean — thin
  11. ground — a position
  12. charge — a price
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lean — to bend
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — decided
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — in control

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