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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. tube — the underground
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. current — electric
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. last — to go on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. current — of water
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. current — happening now
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. last — finally
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. tube — a container
  22. last — final
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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