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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. firm — decided
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. band — a music group
  7. fine — high quality
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fine — all right
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ball — a dance
  19. face — part of the head
  20. content — happy
  21. face — to confront
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. ball — a great time

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