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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. firm — decided
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fine — high quality
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fine — all right
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. snap — to click
  13. firm — steady
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rash — a series
  16. firm — a company
  17. cue — a hint
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cue — a signal
  23. row — a line
  24. hide — animal skin

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