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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wind — moving air
  6. chip — to eat
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wind — moving air
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fan — a supporter

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