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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — to get on
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rock — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — steady
  15. wake — a trail
  16. court — of law
  17. fine — all right
  18. rush — hurry
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. fine — high quality
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. court — of a king

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