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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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mine — for digging
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. scale — for weighing

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