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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — bread
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — a company
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fine — high quality
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. prune — to trim
  14. game — wild animals
  15. firm — steady
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. firm — decided
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. game — a match
  24. bowl — a dish

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