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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ball — a dance
  3. current — electric
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pound — a weight
  8. key — in music
  9. current — happening now
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. staff — employees
  12. cap — of ice
  13. key — for a lock
  14. staff — a stick
  15. kick — in football
  16. current — of water
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. staff — employees
  22. cap — a hat
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pound — to hit hard

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