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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 116 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. firm — steady
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — a company
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. suit — clothes
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — in cards
  18. degree — an amount
  19. fine — all right
  20. firm — decided
  21. degree — from a university
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — to fit
  24. game — a kind of play

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