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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.

Words on the sheet
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: bound · suit · key · chip · wake · cap · mine · wave

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wake — a trail
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bound — certain
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bound — tied together
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — in music
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mine — belonging to me

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