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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — the tool
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. dip — to sink
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. season — of the year
  11. drill — army training
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — in sport
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — for golf
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wound — an injury

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