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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. game — wild animals
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. game — a match
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a path
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. track — a song
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pound — a weight
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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