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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. lean — thin
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rush — hurry
  6. charge — in control
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wound — an injury
  9. game — a match
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lean — to bend
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. charge — a price
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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