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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — decided
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. spell — magic
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. spell — letters
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. firm — steady
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fine — all right
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. staff — employees
  24. spell — a short time

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