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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bound — obliged
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — certain
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chip — to eat
  12. shower — rain
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. firm — steady
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wind — moving air
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  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