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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. game — wild animals
  5. chest — a box
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chest — of your body
  9. current — of water
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. game — a match
  19. ball — a dance
  20. chest — of your body
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ball — a round shape

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