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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. last — finally
  6. fine — high quality
  7. last — to go on
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. march — music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. march — the month
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stem — to come from
  15. game — a match
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. last — final
  18. game — wild animals
  19. toast — bread
  20. fine — all right
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — out of danger

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