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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pit — in a race
  9. kick — in football
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. game — wild animals
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. tube — a container
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. cap — a hat
  17. game — a match
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cap — a lid
  24. safe — out of danger

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