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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. tear — from crying
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wound — an injury
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tear — to rip
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. tear — from crying

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