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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. lean — to bend
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bound — obliged
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ball — a dance
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — in cards
  10. band — a music group
  11. lean — thin
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — tied together
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. firm — steady
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bound — certain
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. firm — a company

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