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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mug — a cup
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mug — a face
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mug — to rob
  10. charge — a price
  11. game — wild animals
  12. board — to get on
  13. present — there
  14. charge — in control
  15. present — the time now
  16. game — a match
  17. board — a committee
  18. present — a gift
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. charge — electricity
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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