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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. net — for catching
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. field — farmland
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. field — for sport
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. field — a subject
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fine — all right
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. toast — bread
  20. net — in sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. deal — to handle
  23. net — after costs
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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