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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — a break
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bound — certain
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fine — all right
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cap — a hat
  19. saw — the tool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cap — of ice
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cap — a lid
  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