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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called 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. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ground — a position
  18. game — a match
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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