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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bound — certain
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wound — an injury
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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