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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. tear — from crying
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bound — obliged
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bound — certain
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bark — to shout
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bound — tied together
  24. ruler — for measuring

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