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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — the tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fine — all right
  13. drill — army training
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. prune — to trim
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — the fruit

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