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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. board — to get on
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. board — a committee
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mark — a grade
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cue — for pool
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cue — a signal

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