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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mug — a face
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ground — a position
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cue — a signal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ground — crushed
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ground — the earth
  24. cue — a hint

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