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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. saw — the tool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bear — the animal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chip — for betting
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. swing — in golf
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — to eat
  17. swing — music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — to go away

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