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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cap — a lid
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cap — of ice
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. game — a match
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — exactly

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