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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. firm — steady
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. firm — a company
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cap — a lid
  22. game — a match
  23. firm — decided
  24. bark — to shout

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