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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ground — crushed
  5. content — the amount
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. content — happy
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. ground — a position
  16. wind — moving air
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. object — a thing
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ground — the earth
  24. pound — a weight

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