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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. ball — a dance
  10. hand — help
  11. ball — a great time
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fine — high quality
  15. charge — a price
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. fine — all right
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. cold — an illness

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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