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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fine — high quality
  9. firm — steady
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. firm — a company
  15. rock — a stone
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. firm — decided
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wake — a trail
  22. saw — the tool
  23. court — of a king
  24. rock — 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