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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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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ball — a great time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — rain
  17. ball — a dance
  18. firm — decided
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. lie — to recline
  23. shower — to wash
  24. ball — a round shape

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