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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 120 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a face
  5. chest — a box
  6. bound — certain
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. game — a match
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cue — a signal
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mug — a cup

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