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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — for betting
  3. content — happy
  4. current — of water
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — certain
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pop — music
  14. bound — tied together
  15. content — the amount
  16. pop — to visit
  17. current — happening now
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. current — electric
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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