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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. capital — money
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. firm — a company
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rest — a break
  16. capital — a city
  17. cap — of ice
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. firm — decided
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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