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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. spring — a coil
  3. ground — the earth
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fine — all right
  7. board — a committee
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — a path
  10. fine — high quality
  11. chest — of your body
  12. firm — decided
  13. spring — of water
  14. ground — crushed
  15. track — to keep track
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chest — a box
  18. firm — steady
  19. track — a song
  20. can — a tin
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spring — the season
  23. ground — a position
  24. board — to get on

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