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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. clip — a video
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. clip — for paper
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. clip — to cut
  19. fine — all right
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. can — to be able to
  22. firm — steady
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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