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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. key — for a lock
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — in music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pitch — completely
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — a face

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