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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. drill — army training
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bass — low music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — high quality
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fine — all right
  21. dip — to sink
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cell — in biology

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