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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. last — finally
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. last — to go on
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. last — final
  13. shower — rain
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bound — certain
  16. pass — a permit
  17. shower — to wash
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bound — obliged
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pass — to succeed

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