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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.

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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. present — there
  3. fine — high quality
  4. game — wild animals
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. band — a ring
  14. rush — hurry
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. fine — all right
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. band — a music group
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. present — a gift
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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