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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. present — a gift
  3. fine — all right
  4. present — the time now
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bound — obliged
  7. present — there
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cue — a signal
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cue — a hint
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bound — certain
  15. cue — for pool
  16. board — to get on
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. board — a committee
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bound — tied together

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