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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. firm — a company
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fine — all right
  11. prune — to trim
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. firm — steady
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — magic
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — to get on
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. firm — decided

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