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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 116 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
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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: wake · key · chip · bound · pass · object · stand · prune

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. object — to protest
  4. key — in music
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — to bear
  12. object — a thing
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wake — a trail
  20. key — for a lock
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. object — an aim

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