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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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468
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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. club — for dancing
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. club — for golf
  10. staff — employees
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. club — a group
  14. staff — a stick
  15. game — a match
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — wild animals
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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