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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. club — for dancing
  3. game — a match
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chip — for betting
  7. club — a group
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — for golf
  13. chip — to eat
  14. board — a committee
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. pound — a weight
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. ground — a position
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. suit — in cards

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