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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. bear — the animal
  3. game — a match
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. roll — a list
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. roll — a cake
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — to wash
  18. suit — to fit
  19. shower — rain
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  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