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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bound — certain
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ground — the earth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a match
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. ground — a position
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bound — obliged
  24. fan — a supporter

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