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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
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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: row · bound · chip · season · degree · key · mark · chair

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bound — tied together
  4. degree — an amount
  5. mark — a grade
  6. degree — temperature
  7. row — to paddle
  8. key — in music
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. key — the most important part
  11. season — in sport
  12. row — a line
  13. chip — to eat
  14. season — of the year
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bound — certain
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. degree — from a university
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mark — a trace

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