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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 120 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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. band — a music group
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. land — ground
  7. bear — the animal
  8. scale — in music
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. band — a ring
  11. fine — all right
  12. mark — a trace
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. land — a country
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mark — a grade
  18. land — to come down
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. scale — size or range
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. fine — high quality

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