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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. game — wild animals
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bear — the animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — a match
  16. craft — boats
  17. key — the most important part
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — in music
  20. lie — to recline
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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