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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fall — the season
  9. firm — steady
  10. charge — a price
  11. firm — decided
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. charge — in control
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lie — to recline
  23. firm — a company
  24. racket — a loud noise

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