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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. drill — a practice
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — in football
  5. drill — the tool
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. game — a match
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. swing — music
  15. staff — employees
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. swing — to play on
  19. drill — army training
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. game — wild animals
  23. craft — boats
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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