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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. game — a match
  4. firm — a company
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. game — wild animals
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. firm — steady
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. firm — decided
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. branch — a division
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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