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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. fine — all right
  4. staff — employees
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. field — farmland
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fine — high quality
  9. net — for catching
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. club — for golf
  12. season — of the year
  13. net — in sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — after costs
  17. field — a subject
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. club — a group
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. staff — a stick
  22. season — in sport
  23. field — for sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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