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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. tear — from crying
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fine — all right
  8. vault — a safe
  9. game — a match
  10. tear — from crying
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. row — to paddle
  14. toast — bread
  15. row — a line
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. row — a quarrel

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