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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: bound · ruler · kid · calf · roll · stand · chip · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bound — certain
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bound — tied together
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — a list
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. kid — to tease
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. kid — child
  15. stand — to bear
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bound — obliged
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — of the leg

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