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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chip — for betting
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bound — obliged
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bound — certain
  10. last — finally
  11. pop — to visit
  12. kid — to tease
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pop — music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. last — to go on
  21. kid — child
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pop — soda
  24. last — final

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