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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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468
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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — low music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. spell — letters
  10. rest — what's left
  11. saw — the tool
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — in football
  14. rest — a break
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rest — what's left
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — all right

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