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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wake — a trail
  4. land — to come down
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — the animal
  9. land — ground
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. land — a country
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — to pay attention

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