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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · ruler · present · pit · bound · chip

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. present — a gift
  9. pit — in a race
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bound — certain
  18. present — the time now

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