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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fine — high quality
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fine — all right
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. deal — to handle
  18. shower — rain
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pit — a hole
  22. hand — help
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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