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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wound — an injury
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cold — not warm
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — an aim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — after costs
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. perch — the fish
  14. net — for catching
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. object — a thing
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cold — an illness
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — to protest

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