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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 120 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 · chip · net · arm · ground · kick · rule · rush

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rule — government
  5. net — for catching
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. ground — the earth
  8. net — in sport
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. chip — to eat
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bound — obliged
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kick — in football
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bound — certain
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rule — a law
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ground — a position
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. net — after costs

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