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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spring — the season
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. club — for golf
  8. spring — of water
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. club — a group
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for dancing
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — to recline
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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