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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. club — for golf
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rash — a series
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ground — a position
  13. sharp — clever
  14. ground — the earth
  15. fine — high quality
  16. club — a group
  17. cell — in biology
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fine — all right

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