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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cell — in biology
  3. can — a tin
  4. bark — to shout
  5. court — of law
  6. can — a tin
  7. court — for sport
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fine — all right
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. object — to protest
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fine — high quality
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. court — of a king
  21. bass — low music
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. cell — a phone
  24. fan — to cool the air

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