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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. march — music
  8. can — a tin
  9. march — the month
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. season — of the year
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. can — to be able to
  17. march — the month
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. season — in sport
  20. game — a match
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. chair — a leader
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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