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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. field — for sport
  4. fine — high quality
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — a group
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fine — all right
  10. pop — music
  11. scale — in music
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. club — for golf
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. field — a subject
  17. scale — size or range
  18. field — farmland
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pop — soda
  21. pit — in a race
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pop — to visit
  24. saw — the tool

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