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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. present — the time now
  4. cue — a signal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cue — for pool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. net — in sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fine — all right
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. net — after costs
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. net — for catching
  24. cue — a hint

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