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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bound — tied together
  3. game — a match
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — not warm
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rush — hurry
  13. game — wild animals
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bound — certain
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bound — obliged
  24. chip — for betting

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