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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chip — to eat
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. can — a tin
  10. chair — a leader
  11. face — to point toward
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bound — tied together
  14. can — a tin
  15. face — to confront
  16. degree — from a university
  17. last — finally
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bound — certain
  20. face — part of the head
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. suit — to fit

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