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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. roll — a list
  5. bulb — for light
  6. roll — a cake
  7. charge — a price
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bear — the animal
  15. track — a path
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wax — to grow
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. charge — in control
  22. track — a song
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bulb — for light

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