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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — for golf
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fine — high quality
  10. tube — a container
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wound — an injury
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fine — all right
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. club — a group

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