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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. land — to come down
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cue — for pool
  11. land — ground
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. land — a country
  19. rest — what's left
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. game — a match
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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