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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. roll — a list
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. scale — in music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. shower — to wash
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mark — a trace
  21. roll — a cake
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lie — to recline

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