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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a match
  4. pit — in a race
  5. land — to come down
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. land — ground
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bound — obliged
  12. charge — a price
  13. land — a country
  14. charge — in control
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — certain
  18. craft — boats
  19. bark — to shout
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bound — tied together
  22. charge — electricity
  23. craft — a skill
  24. hide — animal skin

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