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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. file — a document
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. file — a tool
  6. firm — steady
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. file — a line of people
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spring — the season
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — a company
  14. bound — certain
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wound — an injury
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bound — tied together

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