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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. field — a subject
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. field — farmland
  7. chip — to eat
  8. land — a country
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. land — ground
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — all right
  14. bound — obliged
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bound — tied together
  19. field — for sport
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. land — to come down
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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