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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. spring — a coil
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spring — the season
  7. wound — an injury
  8. spring — of water
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. last — finally
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. last — to go on
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mug — to rob
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. last — final

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