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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. object — a thing
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. object — an aim
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. object — to protest
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pitch — completely
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fine — all right
  22. wind — moving air
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fine — high quality

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