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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: bound · mug · saw · capital · game · object · chip · vault

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mug — to rob
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. object — to protest
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. capital — money
  10. object — an aim
  11. chip — for betting
  12. vault — a safe
  13. game — a match
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. game — wild animals
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — a city
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bound — certain
  23. mug — a face
  24. object — a thing

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