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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. court — for sport
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. saw — the tool
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. band — a music group
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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