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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. track — to keep track
  3. game — wild animals
  4. track — a path
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. scale — in music
  7. charge — a price
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lie — to recline
  15. track — a song
  16. charge — electricity
  17. game — a match
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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