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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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — a trail
  16. firm — steady
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. firm — a company
  20. wound — an injury
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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