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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — the fish
  4. game — wild animals
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cue — a hint
  11. chip — for betting
  12. present — there
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. present — a gift
  15. mark — a grade
  16. game — a match
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. present — the time now
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — a signal

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