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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stand — to bear
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — music
  7. firm — steady
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. march — the month
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chip — for betting
  13. march — the month
  14. dip — to sink
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bound — obliged
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bound — certain
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chip — to eat

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