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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. file — a line of people
  3. firm — decided
  4. bound — obliged
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. court — of a king
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of law
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. file — a document
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — of a river
  15. file — a tool
  16. bound — tied together
  17. firm — steady
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bank — for money
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bound — certain
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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