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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kid · game · firm · stick · pop · can · saw · rule

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pop — to visit
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. pop — soda
  17. game — a match
  18. kid — child
  19. rule — government
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. firm — steady
  22. rule — a law
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pop — music

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