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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — music
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bound — certain
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bass — low music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bass — the fish
  22. race — a contest
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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