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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — a measure
  6. game — wild animals
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — to protest
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. present — there
  12. game — a match
  13. object — an aim
  14. season — in sport
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. season — of the year
  19. object — a thing
  20. present — the time now
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. present — a gift

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