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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. march — music
  9. mug — a cup
  10. march — the month
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wax — to grow
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mug — a face
  22. pitch — completely
  23. march — the month
  24. wax — in the ear

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