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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. cold — an illness
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. shower — to wash
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. shower — rain
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wound — an injury
  20. craft — boats
  21. firm — steady
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cold — not warm

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