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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chip — for betting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rule — a law
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. degree — temperature
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bound — certain
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rule — government
  19. toast — bread
  20. degree — an amount
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. suit — to fit
  24. degree — from a university

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