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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. can — a tin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bound — obliged
  7. can — a tin
  8. bound — certain
  9. spell — letters
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — to be able to
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — in music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — for a lock
  24. sharp — clever

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