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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — the cause
  4. dip — to sink
  5. wound — an injury
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. root — of a plant
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pitch — completely
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. root — of a word
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. straw — dry grass

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