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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: board · stem · chair · suit · charge · land · bear · squash

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. land — a country
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stem — to come from
  10. land — ground
  11. suit — clothes
  12. land — to come down
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chair — a leader
  15. board — to get on
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. board — a committee
  19. charge — a price
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. suit — in cards
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. suit — to fit
  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