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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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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: mark · deal · chip · nail · track · bound · scale · lie

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bound — certain
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — obliged
  10. track — a song
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. track — a path
  15. scale — size or range
  16. deal — to handle
  17. track — to keep track
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — in music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — tied together
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. scale — for weighing

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