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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rash — hasty
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rash — a series
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fall — the season
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fall — to drop
  12. can — a tin
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — all right
  18. scale — in music
  19. fine — high quality
  20. craft — boats
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. can — a tin
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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