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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cue — a signal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rest — a break
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rest — what's left
  13. object — to protest
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cue — for pool
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cue — a hint
  21. game — a match
  22. squash — the sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lash — an eyelash

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