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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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. pop — soda
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mug — a cup
  8. swing — music
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bass — low music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. vault — a safe
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wound — an injury
  23. swing — in golf
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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