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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bass — low music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. prune — to trim
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bass — the fish
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — all right
  16. ball — a dance
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ball — a great time

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