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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. game — wild animals
  4. key — in music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. key — the most important part
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. tube — a container
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. key — for a lock
  17. game — a match
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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