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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mate — a friend
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. row — a line
  5. mate — a partner
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. current — happening now
  8. bound — tied together
  9. game — a match
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mate — to breed
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. press — a publisher
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. date — the fruit
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. press — to push
  24. press — newspapers

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