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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — the animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. current — happening now
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. club — a group
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — for golf
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cap — a lid
  19. scale — in music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pound — a weight
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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