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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pit — a hole
  3. dip — to sink
  4. present — there
  5. pit — in a race
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. swing — music
  9. fine — all right
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. swing — in golf
  12. prune — to trim
  13. craft — boats
  14. object — a thing
  15. present — the time now
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. swing — to play on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. object — an aim
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. object — to protest
  23. fine — high quality
  24. present — a gift

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