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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 116 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. key — in music
  4. bound — certain
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. firm — a company
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mark — a grade
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — a song
  12. firm — decided
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bound — tied together
  19. track — a path
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mark — a trace

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