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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bat — the animal
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. object — to protest
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bass — the fish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. fine — all right
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. firm — decided
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bass — low music
  20. object — a thing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. firm — a company
  24. pit — in a race

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