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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: march · date · present · bound · land · key · ruler · chip

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. key — in music
  5. bound — certain
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. land — a country
  11. present — the time now
  12. march — the month
  13. present — a gift
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bound — tied together
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. land — to come down
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. land — ground
  24. present — there

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