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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. last — to go on
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. object — to protest
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. last — final
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stock — shares
  17. object — a thing
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stock — goods
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. last — finally
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fine — all right

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