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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a dance
  6. kick — in football
  7. firm — a company
  8. club — for dancing
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. row — a line
  11. firm — decided
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. game — wild animals
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. club — a group
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a great time
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. row — to paddle
  23. club — for golf
  24. game — a match

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