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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — to visit
  4. land — ground
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. land — a country
  8. mark — a grade
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. tube — a container
  12. land — to come down
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. season — of the year
  18. branch — a division
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fine — all right
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. season — in sport

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