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

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. net — for catching
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — steady
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. firm — a company
  9. net — after costs
  10. shower — to wash
  11. mate — a partner
  12. firm — decided
  13. mate — a friend
  14. net — in sport
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — rain
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wound — past of 'wind'

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