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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. current — electric
  9. ground — a position
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — happening now
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. current — of water
  24. ground — the earth

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