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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. hand — help
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fine — all right
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lie — to recline
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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