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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. firm — a company
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. charge — in control
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. charge — a price
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — all right
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — steady
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mark — a trace
  20. firm — decided
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. charge — electricity

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