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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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. row — a line
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. game — wild animals
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — clothes
  9. row — to paddle
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cap — a hat
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spring — of water
  15. game — a match
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spring — the season
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cap — a lid
  24. leaves — lets stay

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