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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. swing — music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. swing — to play on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — in a race
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pit — a hole
  13. game — a match
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. object — to protest
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. game — wild animals
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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