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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chest — a box
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lie — to recline
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chest — of your body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chest — of your body

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