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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. net — in sport
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. net — for catching
  6. race — humankind
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lie — to recline
  9. net — after costs
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. race — a contest
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lie — an untruth

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