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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.

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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. land — a country
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fine — all right
  8. land — to come down
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. land — ground
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. kick — a thrill

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