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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. file — a document
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rock — a stone
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. file — a tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — to fit
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — clothes

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