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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: firm · straw · stick · pass · rock · bear · chip · perch

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — to eat
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. rock — music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rock — a stone
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — for betting

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