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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. net — after costs
  7. capital — a city
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — for catching
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. capital — money
  17. net — in sport
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. capital — a big letter

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