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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. vault — a safe
  3. row — to paddle
  4. present — a gift
  5. staff — employees
  6. row — a line
  7. object — an aim
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. present — the time now
  11. staff — employees
  12. rule — government
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. game — a match
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — wild animals
  20. staff — a stick
  21. object — a thing
  22. present — there
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rule — a law

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