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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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. dip — a sauce
  4. present — the time now
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. court — for sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. court — of law
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — shares
  16. court — of a king
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — a gift
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. present — there
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stock — goods
  24. ball — a great time

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