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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ground — a position
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. game — a match
  9. club — for dancing
  10. lean — to bend
  11. club — for golf
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mug — a cup
  19. club — a group
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mug — a face
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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