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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pop — music
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. object — to protest
  8. fine — all right
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. object — a thing
  13. net — after costs
  14. stock — goods
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. net — in sport
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. board — a committee
  21. object — an aim
  22. net — for catching
  23. stock — shares
  24. cabinet — ministers

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