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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. content — the amount
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bass — the fish
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bass — low music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pop — music
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. capital — a city
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. content — happy
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pop — soda
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bass — the instrument

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