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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. object — a thing
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — decided
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — all right
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. object — an aim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. object — to protest
  20. firm — a company
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — steady

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