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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fine — all right
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pop — soda
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pop — music

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