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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. craft — boats
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wind — moving air
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cap — a hat
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wind — moving air
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — for a lock
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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