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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — high quality
  5. club — for dancing
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. club — for golf
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fine — all right
  18. kid — child
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. kid — to tease
  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