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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fine — high quality
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fine — all right
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. kick — in football
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. club — a group
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. club — for golf
  23. ball — a dance
  24. club — for dancing

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