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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bound — certain
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bark — to shout
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. toast — bread
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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