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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 · track · suit · chip · march · tear · sharp · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. tear — from crying
  5. sharp — clever
  6. suit — in cards
  7. march — the month
  8. track — a path
  9. wind — moving air
  10. march — music
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. track — to keep track
  18. suit — clothes
  19. track — a song
  20. march — the month
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bound — tied together
  24. suit — to fit

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