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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cold — an illness
  13. board — a committee
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. can — a tin
  17. object — an aim
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. game — a match
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. object — a thing
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — to protest
  24. cold — not warm

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