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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. board — to get on
  3. track — a path
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bank — of a river
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. track — a song
  13. game — a match
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. board — a committee
  18. bank — for money
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cell — a phone
  23. game — wild animals
  24. board — a flat piece

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