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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. date — the fruit
  6. firm — a company
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. firm — steady
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. firm — decided
  17. roll — a list
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bark — to shout
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. kid — child

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