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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bulb — for light
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — to get on
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. board — a committee
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bank — for money
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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