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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kick — in football
  3. swing — in golf
  4. plane — a tool
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. toast — bread
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. swing — to play on
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. net — for catching
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. net — in sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. swing — music
  24. net — after costs

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