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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. swing — to play on
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fine — all right
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. swing — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. staff — a stick
  12. swing — in golf
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bound — tied together
  21. chip — for betting
  22. scale — in music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bound — certain

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