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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. suit — in cards
  4. game — a match
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. suit — to fit
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. key — for a lock
  20. branch — a division
  21. squash — to crush
  22. key — in music
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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