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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bound — obliged
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bound — tied together
  5. track — a song
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bound — certain
  10. swing — to play on
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bat — the animal
  15. track — a path
  16. vault — a safe
  17. object — a thing
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. object — to protest
  20. swing — music
  21. object — an aim
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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