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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. firm — decided
  3. track — to keep track
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — a company
  8. bound — certain
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. track — a path
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. present — there
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. bound — obliged
  21. firm — steady
  22. track — a song
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fan — a supporter

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