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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wound — an injury
  5. perch — the fish
  6. march — music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. march — the month
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. march — the month
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fine — all right
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. leaves — lets stay

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