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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. current — of water
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — wild animals
  5. current — happening now
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. current — electric
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. game — a match
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. court — of law
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. perch — the fish

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