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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — shares
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. band — a music group
  9. file — a tool
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stock — goods
  12. file — a line of people
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fine — high quality
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a document
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. band — a ring
  24. fine — all right

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