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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. suit — in cards
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. swing — in golf
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fine — all right
  9. object — a thing
  10. bear — the animal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — rain
  14. object — to protest
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fine — high quality
  19. shower — to wash
  20. swing — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. swing — to play on
  23. suit — to fit
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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