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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  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. net — for catching
  3. march — music
  4. face — part of the head
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. march — the month
  7. field — farmland
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — clothes
  10. field — a subject
  11. suit — in cards
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. net — after costs
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. net — in sport
  18. field — for sport
  19. march — the month
  20. fine — all right
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — to fit
  23. face — to confront
  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