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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rule — government
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. game — wild animals
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rule — a law
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. suit — clothes
  15. game — a match
  16. suit — in cards
  17. drill — a practice
  18. fine — all right
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. drill — army training
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mine — for digging
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — high quality

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