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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — to tease
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a music group
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. can — to be able to
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. march — the month
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. band — a ring
  22. staff — a stick
  23. can — a tin
  24. suit — in cards

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