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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pitch — completely
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bank — of a river
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pop — to visit
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — to handle
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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