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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. last — to go on
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lie — to recline
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fine — all right
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. last — final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fine — high quality
  24. last — finally

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