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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. drill — the tool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. snap — to click
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rule — a law
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. drill — a practice
  13. spell — letters
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. spell — magic
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. drill — army training
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mark — a trace

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