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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. snap — to click
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fine — all right
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. wound — an injury

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