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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · jam · scale · bound · chip · fine · pitcher · game

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. fine — high quality
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fine — all right
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. object — a thing
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. game — a match
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — in music
  16. object — an aim
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. object — to protest
  21. scale — size or range
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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