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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. race — humankind
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bound — certain
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fork — in a road
  22. race — a contest
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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