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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mate — a friend
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. game — a match
  7. mark — a grade
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. staff — employees
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mate — a partner
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mate — to breed
  22. staff — employees
  23. swing — music
  24. staff — a stick

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