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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 124 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. fine — high quality
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fork — in a road
  6. drill — army training
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fine — all right
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. date — the fruit
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. drill — the tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. net — after costs
  24. drill — a practice

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