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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. row — to paddle
  3. staff — employees
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fine — all right
  11. staff — employees
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. row — a line
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mine — an explosive

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