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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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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bound — certain
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bat — the animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bound — tied together
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — decided
  16. bound — obliged
  17. face — to confront
  18. coach — a trainer

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