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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. kick — in football
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. fine — all right
  6. snap — to click
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. swing — music
  9. fine — high quality
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. rash — a series
  12. stock — goods
  13. swing — in golf
  14. firm — a company
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stock — shares
  24. firm — decided

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