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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fine — all right
  9. foot — a measure
  10. row — to paddle
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. mark — a trace
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. face — to confront
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. row — a line
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fine — high quality
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — a straw man
  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