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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. net — for catching
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. charge — in control
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cell — a phone
  11. charge — a price
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pound — a weight
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wound — an injury
  22. foot — a measure
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cell — in biology

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