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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — a match
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stock — goods
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — a hole
  12. game — wild animals
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. deal — to handle

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