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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. bound — tied together
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — a match
  13. fork — in a road
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. game — wild animals
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — the season
  24. bound — certain

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