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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. object — to protest
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. craft — a skill
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bound — obliged
  9. net — for catching
  10. craft — boats
  11. fine — all right
  12. bound — certain
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — an aim
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. net — after costs
  20. season — in sport
  21. pitch — completely
  22. season — of the year
  23. net — in sport
  24. object — a thing

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