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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wound — an injury
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. capital — money
  10. scale — in music
  11. current — happening now
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. board — to get on
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. capital — a city
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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