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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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. drill — army training
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pit — a hole
  6. perch — the fish
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cap — of ice
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. game — a match
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. charge — in control
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cap — a hat
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. charge — electricity

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