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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fork — in a road
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — the cause
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. root — of a plant
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. shower — rain
  15. root — of a word
  16. wound — an injury
  17. can — to be able to
  18. game — wild animals
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. game — a match
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. game — a kind of play

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