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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pop — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. chair — a leader
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wound — an injury
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. court — of a king
  14. pop — soda
  15. tear — from crying
  16. court — of law
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. tear — from crying
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. tear — to rip
  21. pop — to visit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — for sport
  24. chair — to sit on

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