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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bound — obliged
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — a stone
  7. hand — help
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. chip — for betting
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rock — music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. hand — in cards

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