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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.

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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: rock · chair · mark · arm · suit · row · chip · ground

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rock — a stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. row — a line
  9. ground — a position
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chair — a leader
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ground — crushed
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mark — a trace
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. arm — part of the body

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