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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 · race · safe · bound · chip · stick · arm · roll

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bound — obliged
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. race — a contest
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chip — to eat
  11. roll — a list
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bound — certain
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. race — humankind
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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