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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pop — soda
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. firm — decided
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pop — music
  12. game — a match
  13. fine — all right
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bound — tied together
  16. firm — a company
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. pop — to visit
  22. game — wild animals
  23. firm — steady
  24. rule — a law

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