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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. current — of water
  5. cell — in biology
  6. current — happening now
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fine — all right
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cell — a phone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — music
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wake — before a funeral

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