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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. spring — of water
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. spring — the season
  11. suit — clothes
  12. firm — a company
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spring — a coil
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — decided
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rash — a series
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rash — hasty
  23. cue — a hint
  24. firm — steady

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