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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. club — a group
  4. pound — a weight
  5. club — for golf
  6. fine — high quality
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. last — finally
  10. tube — a container
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spell — letters
  13. last — to go on
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — for dancing
  16. craft — boats
  17. spell — magic
  18. tube — the underground
  19. last — final
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. stand — for spectators

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