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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ruler · fall · lean · chip · game · bark · staff

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bark — to shout
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. game — a match
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ruler — for measuring

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