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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lean — thin
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — to fit
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bore — to drill
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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