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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fine — all right
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fine — high quality
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. club — for golf
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mark — a trace
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. can — a tin
  20. club — a group
  21. deal — to handle
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — a tin

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