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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 124 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pop — to visit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. game — a match
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pop — soda
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pop — music
  16. wake — a trail
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bore — to drill
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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