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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.

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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mark — a grade
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mug — to rob
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to click
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mug — a cup
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mark — a trace

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