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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 124 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. squash — to crush
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. degree — an amount
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pit — in a race
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — clothes
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pit — a hole
  16. suit — to fit
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. suit — in cards
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. degree — from a university
  23. band — a music group
  24. degree — temperature

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