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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. spell — a short time
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — music
  5. firm — decided
  6. land — to come down
  7. firm — steady
  8. game — a match
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. board — to get on
  11. fine — high quality
  12. land — a country
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — all right
  15. firm — a company
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spell — letters
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. board — a committee
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. land — ground
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. game — wild animals

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