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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lean — to bend
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lean — thin
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ball — a dance
  13. snap — to click
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — a match
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chair — to sit on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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