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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. track — a song
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. kick — with a leg

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