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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: chip · cabinet · roll · pitch · land · mug · plane · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. land — a country
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. land — ground
  15. roll — a cake
  16. chip — for betting
  17. land — to come down
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mug — a cup
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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