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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. can — a tin
  3. game — wild animals
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. scale — in music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — a tin
  12. roll — a list
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stem — to come from
  15. can — to be able to
  16. game — a match
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. file — a tool
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pass — to succeed

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