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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. firm — steady
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fine — all right
  9. spring — the season
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ground — crushed
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ground — a position
  14. spring — a coil
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. club — for golf
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. firm — decided
  19. chair — a leader
  20. firm — a company
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. spring — of water

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