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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bear — the animal
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bound — certain
  14. capital — money
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. capital — a city
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. bound — tied together
  24. dip — to dunk

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