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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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 — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fine — all right
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fine — high quality
  9. roll — a list
  10. face — to confront
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. present — there
  13. lean — to bend
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. game — a match
  17. kick — in football
  18. lean — thin
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. present — a gift
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. present — the time now
  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