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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pit — a hole
  13. root — the cause
  14. chest — a box
  15. fine — all right
  16. cue — a hint
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. root — of a word
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bear — the animal
  24. root — of a plant

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