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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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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: craft · bound · chip · fall · root · chair · suit · game

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. craft — boats
  4. bound — obliged
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bound — certain
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — the cause
  9. fall — the season
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. root — of a plant
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chair — a leader
  21. game — a match
  22. fall — to drop
  23. root — of a word
  24. game — wild animals

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