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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — for money
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cue — for pool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stand — to bear
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. chip — to eat
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fork — in a road
  12. club — for golf
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — a group
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. snap — to click
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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