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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 124 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. object — to protest
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. object — a thing
  7. mark — a grade
  8. field — farmland
  9. fine — high quality
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fork — in a road
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. object — an aim
  19. field — for sport
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. field — a subject
  23. fine — all right
  24. racket — for tennis

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