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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mate — to breed
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — a company
  10. mate — a partner
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — a stone
  14. firm — decided
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mate — a friend
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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