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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a path
  5. game — a match
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. chair — a leader
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bass — low music
  15. mug — a face
  16. game — wild animals
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mug — a cup
  19. track — a song
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chair — a professorship

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