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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. season — in sport
  7. shower — rain
  8. clip — to cut
  9. season — of the year
  10. can — a tin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. clip — a video
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wound — an injury
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. face — to point toward
  23. clip — for paper
  24. shower — to wash

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