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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. court — of a king
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. court — of law
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — soda
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — to be able to
  17. game — a match
  18. board — to get on
  19. court — for sport
  20. pop — music
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chip — to eat
  24. snap — to click

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