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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. can — a tin
  7. rash — a series
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — to be able to
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. dip — to sink
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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