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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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 — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. land — to come down
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. land — ground
  7. charge — in control
  8. rush — hurry
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — clothes
  11. clip — to cut
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — to fit
  15. land — a country
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. clip — a video
  22. charge — a price
  23. clip — for paper
  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