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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. track — a path
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. date — the fruit
  8. game — a match
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mate — to breed
  15. track — to keep track
  16. game — wild animals
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mate — a partner
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. suit — clothes
  22. track — a song
  23. mate — a friend
  24. suit — in cards

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