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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.

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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bound — certain
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. net — after costs
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. net — in sport

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