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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. game — a match
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — low music
  9. fine — all right
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mark — a trace
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mark — a grade
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — the fish
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a city
  24. game — wild animals

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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