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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. chip — to eat
  3. drill — a practice
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — army training
  9. can — a tin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. kid — child
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bound — obliged
  15. drill — the tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. can — to be able to
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bound — tied together
  22. kid — to tease
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — with an edge

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