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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bound — certain
  3. chip — to eat
  4. roll — a cake
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. face — to confront
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fork — in a road
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. sharp — clever
  21. roll — a list
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — thin
  24. face — part of the head

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