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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. face — part of the head
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ball — a great time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. face — to point toward
  11. track — to keep track
  12. game — wild animals
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — a path
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. game — a match
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. face — to confront
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. track — a song

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