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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 120 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: fan · mouse · chair · rock · last · spring · chip · bear

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chip — for betting
  7. spring — the season
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — music
  12. last — finally
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. last — final
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. spring — of water
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rock — a stone

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