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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wound — an injury
  5. object — to protest
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. object — a thing
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — a line
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bass — the fish
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bass — low music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — an aim
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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