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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — to go on
  4. club — a group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wound — an injury
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — final
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. face — to confront
  18. can — to be able to
  19. club — for golf
  20. last — finally
  21. face — to point toward
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pitcher — a jug

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