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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: chip · snap · bass · bound · key · last · board · rash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. last — to go on
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — a series
  10. last — final
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bound — obliged
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. key — the most important part
  15. snap — to click
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bound — tied together
  21. board — to get on
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bound — certain
  24. last — finally

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