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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wound — an injury
  6. can — a tin
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — a partner
  11. clip — a video
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — to be able to
  15. clip — to cut
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mate — a friend
  18. clip — for paper
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rest — a break

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