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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — for pool
  6. board — a committee
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ground — the earth
  9. game — wild animals
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — shares
  14. ground — a position
  15. board — to get on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stock — goods
  22. can — a tin
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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