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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. charge — a price
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — in control
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. scale — size or range
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — electricity
  14. scale — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cue — a hint
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. game — a match
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pound — a weight

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