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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — certain
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. firm — decided
  7. bound — obliged
  8. present — a gift
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fine — all right
  11. firm — steady
  12. present — there
  13. bound — tied together
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fine — high quality
  16. firm — a company
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. chip — in a computer

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