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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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. cue — for pool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tear — to rip
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cue — a signal
  12. charge — a price
  13. root — of a word
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. charge — in control
  17. root — the cause
  18. bore — to tire
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bore — to drill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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