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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: suit · chip · spell · current · bound · craft · roll · face

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spell — letters
  5. bound — certain
  6. chip — for betting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. face — part of the head
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. chip — to eat
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spell — a short time
  16. craft — boats
  17. current — of water
  18. roll — a list
  19. face — to confront
  20. spell — magic
  21. current — electric
  22. face — to point toward
  23. current — happening now
  24. roll — a cake

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