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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. shower — to wash
  17. chair — a leader
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. shower — rain
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. leaves — lets stay

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