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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. land — ground
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fine — all right
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. land — to come down
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. fork — in a road
  24. land — a country

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