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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 116 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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468
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: chair · rock · fan · bound · board · pass · chip · cell

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rock — music
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. board — to get on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. board — a committee
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chip — to eat

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