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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. court — of law
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fork — in a road
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. court — of a king
  8. fine — all right
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bound — obliged
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. court — for sport
  19. bound — certain
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. craft — boats
  22. bound — tied together
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lie — an untruth

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