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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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 match
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pop — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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