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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. present — a gift
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. present — there
  5. game — a match
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fine — high quality
  8. game — wild animals
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pit — in a race
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. present — the time now
  17. fine — all right
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pit — a hole
  23. calf — of the leg
  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