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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. court — of law
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. game — a match
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rush — a thrill

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