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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. root — of a word
  3. object — a thing
  4. capital — a city
  5. pit — in a race
  6. key — in music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. object — to protest
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fine — all right
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. capital — money
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fine — high quality
  17. object — an aim
  18. root — the cause
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pit — a hole

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