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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 120 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wake — a trail
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lean — thin
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. game — a match

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