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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. race — humankind
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. face — to point toward
  7. cap — a lid
  8. face — to confront
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. suit — in cards
  18. race — a contest
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. face — part of the head

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