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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wound — an injury
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. rest — a break
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — a gift
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. present — there
  21. rest — what's left
  22. present — the time now
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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