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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. shower — rain
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. current — happening now
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fine — all right
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mouse — the animal

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