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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bass — low music
  6. face — to confront
  7. wake — a trail
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bound — obliged
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. current — of water
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mouse — for a computer

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