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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — to fit
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. spell — magic
  13. firm — decided
  14. cell — a phone
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fine — all right
  18. suit — clothes
  19. court — of law
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. dip — a sauce
  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