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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 120 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: foot · mate · chip · wound · rock · bound · firm · rest

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rest — what's left
  4. foot — a measure
  5. firm — decided
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chip — to eat
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bound — certain
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. firm — a company
  17. rock — music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. firm — steady
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — a break
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rock — to move gently

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