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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: fine · chest · game · present · net · stick · jam · fan

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fine — high quality
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. net — after costs
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — a gift
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. net — in sport
  16. fine — all right
  17. net — for catching
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chest — a box
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fan — a supporter

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