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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. staff — employees
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bear — the animal
  18. staff — a stick
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. staff — employees
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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