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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
468
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: wind · chip · nail · pop · bass · chair · hide · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pop — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wind — moving air
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pop — soda
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bass — low music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. nail — for a hammer

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