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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. swing — music
  24. wound — an injury

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