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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — a measure
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wound — an injury
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rock — a stone
  9. tear — from crying
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rock — music
  13. chair — a leader
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. tear — from crying
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cue — for pool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cue — a signal
  24. tear — to rip

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