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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stock — shares
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stand — to bear
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bound — tied together
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stand — for spectators

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