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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wind — moving air
  9. sharp — clever
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. cap — of ice
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wind — moving air
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. foot — a measure

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