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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bound — tied together
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chip — to eat
  22. game — a match
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — certain

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