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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stock — shares
  8. scale — in music
  9. can — to be able to
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. stock — goods
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lean — thin
  16. cue — for pool
  17. object — to protest
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fine — all right
  20. cue — a hint
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — to rest against

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