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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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. rest — what's left
  4. bound — tied together
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bank — for money
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. key — in music
  10. clip — a video
  11. rest — a break
  12. bound — certain
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wound — an injury
  19. clip — to cut
  20. date — the fruit
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rest — what's left

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