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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — to rip
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. tear — from crying
  10. root — of a plant
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — clothes
  16. root — the cause
  17. game — a match
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. root — of a word
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cue — a signal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — in control

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