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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. can — to be able to
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — the month
  6. net — after costs
  7. suit — clothes
  8. game — a match
  9. swing — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — for catching
  12. staff — a stick
  13. suit — in cards
  14. staff — employees
  15. march — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. staff — employees
  20. swing — to play on
  21. net — in sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. swing — in golf
  24. march — the month

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