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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lean — thin
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — in music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fine — all right
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. drill — the tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — a skill
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. drill — a practice
  15. key — for a lock
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ground — a position
  20. drill — army training
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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