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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kick — in football
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bear — the animal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chip — for betting
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. cue — a signal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. game — wild animals
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. chip — to eat
  21. scale — size or range
  22. staff — employees
  23. game — a match
  24. face — to confront

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