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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · club · rule · row · bay · fine · bear · mark

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rule — a law
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. rule — government
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. row — a line
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — all right
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. ground — a position

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