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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: bound · wind · content · lean · ball · deal · chip · bass

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. chip — to eat
  13. content — the amount
  14. bound — certain
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bass — low music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bass — the fish
  21. content — happy
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bound — tied together

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